Girl Talk
by MissTeak
Summary: Join best friends Kaoru and Megumi as they 'girl talk' at different stages of life on friendship and the two special men in their lives, namely Himura Kenshin and Sagara Sanosuke, in a cozy bubble tea cafe filled with the warmth of friendship. KK, SM
1. Twenty

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters.

A/N: Hi guys! This will be a short, three-part story by MissTeak, and I believe it will be a lot different from many other stories out there. It will be focused on the topic of friendship, "girl talk", to be specific, between Kaoru and Megumi. It is strictly not yuri. In fact, I am going to portray love, life and friendship through three conversations between the two ladies at three different stages of life. Namely at twenty two, thirty two and forty two. Pairings will obviously be Kenshin/Kaoru and Sanosuke/Megumi.

The reason for writing this is, well, while not all people find love, I believe every girl out there has a girl friend that has always been there for her no matter what. This story is a celebration of the sisterhood we girls forge with our dearest friends.

Enjoy the first part of the trilogy!

**Girl Talk**

_**Twenty**_

* * *

I glanced at my watch. It was already 2.25pm. Leaning forward in my seat, I sucked hard on the oversized purple straw to draw a large gulp of my bubble tea.

Strawberry milk tea with double pearls; my absolute favorite at the bubble tea café.

The baby pink beverage was slightly frothy on the top and creamy at the base, and for some odd reason, I thought it looked cute and romantic in its own way.

It would look _cuter_, and _more_ romantic if _he_ was here to share the drink with me.

Every other table at the bubble tea café was occupied by at least two people, and I was the only one sitting alone like some socially ostracized victim. Or rather, I had been in that position for the past 25 minutes. The ice in the bubble tea was melting, and the sweet strawberry flavored tea was diluted. I chewed away furiously on the firm and slightly sweet tapioca pearls, wondering where on earth my best friend was.

"Kaoru! There you are!"

There she was, with her trademark coy smile, at the entrance to the small but cozy bubble tea café. Megumi waved, weaving through the gaps between other tables effortlessly. Her long black hair was slightly out of place and she was dressed in a simple white tee shirt with a pair of dark skinny jeans, but Megumi always looked good. Not just good, but beautiful. Looking at her with a mock reproachful smile, I was once again was reminded of why Megumi was so popular among the men in our college.

Megumi was blessed with a tall, slender figure complemented with fair, creamy skin, which formed a perfect contrast with her sleek black hair. Did I mention that she had the most amazing metabolism rate? She never got fat no matter how she ate. I had to work out on the other hand, but then again, I enjoy working out. Kendo was my forte and passion, and it was also through the sport that I met _him_.

Alright, back to Megumi, before I start hyperventilating right there in the café. I knew I was not too bad myself; I was no stranger to praises on me being 'pretty' and 'sweet'. But Megumi was in a total different league. She was not pretty; she was beautiful. I was the pretty girl, and she was the beautiful lady.

Her sharp, elegant features were enhanced by the intelligence and confidence shining through her eyes, and there was just something about the way Megumi smiled. It was coy, playful and sexy at the same time, and some of the girls at college actually thought it to be an underhanded trick Megumi used to get the men. I used to think so too, until I realized it was not a trick. Perhaps what was so frustrating about Megumi was that her immense charm was natural. She was just so direct and real, funny with an innately evil streak.

And as usual, Megumi got more than her fair share of both quick, sneaky glances and open, appreciative staring from the males in the vicinity as she walked by them.

Not that she enjoyed this sort of negative attention; in fact, she detested it.

Honestly, thank goodness I was straight, or I'd have gone after my best friend. That thought made me chuckle.

"I am so sorry for being late." Megumi smiled, taking a seat at the table. "Strawberry milk tea with double pearls again?"

Trust her to know my favorites. I nodded, asking, "What's the excuse for today?"

Megumi waved her hand absentmindedly. "You wouldn't want to know," And turning to the waiter, she smiled politely. "Can I have a honey jasmine green tea with pearls and mixed jelly?"

The waiter left with the order taken, while I waited for Megumi to answer my earlier question. Knowing Megumi, it was most probably problems to do with the male species again. "So who is it this time?"

"It's Ogawa." Megumi replied, sighing in exasperation. "You know, Ogawa Yoshiya?"

That was a pretty familiar name, and I tried to match the name to a face. "Oh! The Students' Union vice-president?"

Nodding, Megumi sighed in exasperation. "I was ready to leave school, but he demanded to know why I could not accept him. He just couldn't accept a simple 'no'."

"And you're looking so perplexed because you had no choice but to tell him the truth," I voiced out her thoughts, looking at her sympathetically. "The truth that you are no longer single and available. I bet Ogawa demanded to know the identity of the guy you're seeing."

"This is why I always call you an expert. You should teach me some Kendo so I can take care of those pests by myself."

The mental image of ladylike Megumi pulling out a Kendo stick and running after some poor dude was pretty funny. You should try conjuring it in your mind too.

"So you told him you have kind of been seeing Sagara Sanosuke?" That was Megumi's _sort of_ (if that term even made sense) boyfriend, a sports health and physiology major who was also the captain of the varsity basketball team. He was another high-profile, prominent character on campus, but unlike Miss Elite Megumi (I swear I'm not sour!), he was known for almost all the wrong reasons.

Well, they were both really good-looking people, but if you knew Megumi and Sanosuke personally like I do, you'd know why I secretly dub them Hutu and Tutsi. You know, the two ethnic factions of the worst ethnic conflict in Black Africa in the 1990s. I initially wanted to dub them North and South Korea, but I could not decide who deserved the title of potentially-nuclear-weapons-blasting North Korea more. So they became Hutu and Tutsi.

Except that in the case of Megumi and Sanosuke, peace talks and negotiations and even coercion were not able to solve the conflict.

Now you know why my jaw was almost dislocated when Megumi secretly confessed to having gone out with Sanosuke. All I had needed was flashing lightning and booming thunder to complement the incredulous look on my face then.

No one could have imagined. Well, I knew Sanosuke liked to pick on Megumi deliberately to get her attention, but it had never occurred to me that the interest was mutual.

Yet by some amazing careless mistake on Cupid's part, the warring factions saw a merger. I sincerely hope this merger holds before they decide to blast each other into extinction.

Megumi nodded. "Yeah, the abovementioned chicken head chose to appear then. It was…well, to say it reminded me of World War II is not an exaggeration. That stupid Rooster was so close to pecking Ogawa into the ground. It is so frustrating, Kaoru, especially when I've told him countless of times-"

"That you do not wish to make your relationship officially known." I completed her friend's sentence, well-aware of where the conversation was heading.

It was one of Megumi's very few problems which we could not really resolve. I could not understand why she was so unwilling to admit to their relationship, when there was essentially nothing much to hide.

She did not reply, but instead, settled for playing absentmindedly with the pearls and jelly at the bottom of her glass.

"What's holding you back, anyway? Sanosuke, hmm…if one knows him well, one would know he's a big softie underneath that tough cookie exterior."

"I don't know…there are times when I know I really, really like him…but sometimes, I just feel so insecure. He can be so childish at times, you know?" She sighed. I looked at Megumi, knowing it was not too easy for her to talk about her on-off relationship with Sanosuke. "I don't know if I can trust him, especially when I know there are so many girls out there who are interested in him, and Sano is not exactly keeping a distance from them. He knows they like him, but that's not stopping him from hanging out with them, laughing with them, flirting with them…"

"Aww, come on! Sano has been like this since I got to know him in elementary school. But I can tell he's serious about you…"

"Enough about me," Megumi said hastily, and it was obvious she was once again evading the question. "What about you and that handsome redhead?"

My heart skipped a beat.

It was my turn to fidget and lose my speech ability temporarily. I hated it when this happened. "I…well, we…"

"Himura Kenshin, right? Nice name." Megumi mused, before nodding to indicate her thanks as her order was served. "The 'ken' is like the sword, while the 'shin' represents the heart. It's a very good name, with a delicate yin yang balance between the strong and the gentle elements. I presume he has a soft interior behind the tough exterior."

Did I tell you my best friend was totally into Japanese linguistics as well? She loved to analyze the kanji characters in others' names. It was usually annoying since I had no idea what she was going on and on about, but then again, it was _Kenshin's_ name she was analyzing.

Two years my senior, Himura Kenshin was the captain of the Kendo club at our college. We were very close, and he was very nice, polite and friendly to me. He knew my feelings for him, and I could feel that I was more special to him compared to other girls. We were in that stage of uncertainty, whereby there was the unspoken acknowledgement of mutual feelings, but nothing else was done about it. But then again, what could I expect? Nothing would come out of this, not when _she_ was still in the picture.

Kenshin…he looked so…so hot when he was sparring with the other guys from our Kendo club. He looked good with the mask on, but when he sparred recreationally without the mask, he was…well, he was simply divine. The way his eyes narrowed in concentration was too sexy. I think one can have an orgasm simply by looking into his mesmerizing eyes. And his hair…the flaming red ponytail swung like a streak of wild fire behind him when he launched his speedy attacks and manipulated his body coordination expertly…

"Earth to Kaoru!" Megumi snapped her fingers in front of my face, startling me. "You're absolutely obsessed with Himura. Himura Kaoru…that sounds pretty nice!"

"For your information, _Sagara Megumi_, I believe Himura Kenshin thinks of me as a Kendo team mate, close friend and nothing else. Besides, I recently discovered why he was no longer as open to relationships as he used to be."

"Firstly, I am not Sagara Megumi. I shudder to imagine myself giving birth to a fluffy, yellow chick. Secondly, please don't tell me Himura is gay. That'd be so disappointing, especially when our school is severely lacking cute, eligible bachelors."

"…and so says the girl who's secretly dating the guy who got crowned Mr. Varsity last year."

"Whatever!" Megumi rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink. "As if I don't hear Sano brag about it often enough. He won it because there was hardly any competition…no one else was shameless enough to participate in something so brainless. Why would any self-respecting man choose to parade himself on stage clad in nothing but that tiny piece of swimming trunks?"

I laughed out loud; Megumi could get really funny at times. I shall be nice and not remind her that she actually turned up after Sanosuke got into the semi-finals to secretly watch him "parade himself on stage clad in nothing but that tiny piece of swimming trunks".

I was there with her, and to be fair, I had to admit Sanosuke had a darn good body.

"Alright, back to Himura Kenshin. What's holding you back? I've seen him a few times around school, and he is either alone or with a bunch of guys."

I sighed. This was not going to be easy…

**_

* * *

_**

(Megumi's POV)

I saw my friend sigh, the usual sunshine muted in her entire being. Somehow the topic was not going to be pretty, but then again, what were best friends for?

"He's interested in women, right?" I asked slowly, trying to prompt an answer out of her. "And he seems to be single."

Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, I know he is not seeing anyone now. In fact, we are really close, but…there is another girl who is occupying his heart."

"He has a crush on someone else?" Damn, no wonder Kaoru was upset. It was most upsetting to see the guy you liked like someone else. Now you guys know how I feel when I see Sanosuke winking at his posse of girls while I sit in a corner, pretending not to know him and not to be interested in his affairs in the least.

Kaoru took a sip of her strawberry milk tea, before her pretty eyes met mine. Those enchantingly large eyes were sad, and she looked hesitant in that instant.

"What is it? You don't intend to keep this from me, do you?"

She took a deep breath, and said softly. "The girl he likes is his ex-girlfriend."

_Ex-girlfriend?_ I could feel my brows furrow as I frowned. That did not make sense in the least. I analyzed the situation quickly and logically, and this was my verdict.

"Kaoru, well, as you put it yourself…it is an _ex-_girlfriend. I don't know how you define it, but 'ex' means it is over. Go for it, girl! They are no longer together anyway…you are not snatching him from someone else, so nothing should be holding you back."

The sunshine did not return to Kaoru's pretty, girlish face. Rather, she looked even gloomier than before.

"Megumi…you don't understand. She's not exactly an ex-girlfriend. The thing is…" Kaoru's sentence trailed off, before she raised her eyes to meet mine. "She's dead. She's a _late _girlfriend."

Damn. That was bound to complicate matters. Who would have thought? I usually had a response for everything, but even I was dumbfounded.

"I cannot win against a dead girl, especially when I know he loved her so much. You know, Kenshin appears to be alright on the surface, but apparently he is still hurting on the inside. She was a senior at our school too, but she was a year older than he was, so none of us got to know her." Kaoru said softly, her eyes staring blankly at the table top.

"When I first joined Kendo club, I knew he was single, but I did not know anything beyond that. It was only recently when I heard about Kenshin's past from another senior, Rangiku. She showed me a few old Kendo club photos, and…"

"And what?"

"Well, let's just say that even if his late girlfriend was alive and I could compete against her fairly, I wouldn't stand a chance."

I was quick to respond to that. How could Kaoru possibly have so little confidence in herself? "Why is that so? Is she _that_ amazing?"

"She is beautiful." Kaoru said, though it was obvious she did not like to admit that.

"That's rubbish; you're very beautiful too."

That was true; Kaoru was a very attractive girl. On top of being very pretty and sweet-looking, she was sporty, bubbly, individualistic and jovial. She would make the sort of girlfriend whom a guy could go mountain climbing and wakeboarding with. Everyone liked Kaoru, and she had her fair share of secret admirers and suitors. She was like the sunshine; anywhere with Kaoru had an extra burst of energy in the atmosphere. She had the uncanny ability to light up any darkness and instill liveliness into any gloom situation, and she was the right person to talk to if you ever needed to smile.

Did I tell you her smile was amazing? If she smiled at you, there was no way you wouldn't smile back. It was just so heartfelt, so bright and inviting. On top of that, Kaoru's girlish face was matched by a very amazing body. Years of hard Kendo training had resulted in a lithe, athletic body, toned and well-proportioned in every aspect. She had amazing legs, though she was always lamenting she'd like them better if they were longer, and she always looked fabulous in shorts.

Himura Kenshin was a lucky man, indeed.

"I don't see why you think you can't compare to that girl, whoever she is. It is not as if you are ugly." I pointed out matter-of-factly.

"We're just not in the same league," Kaoru gave me a withering look, taking another sip of her drink. "She's the…well, she falls under the same category of beauty as you. The dignified and elegant beauty."

"That's bullshit." I rolled my eyes.

She took a deep breath. "Well, you can see for yourself. Her name is Tomoe. Yukishiro Tomoe."

Pulling a small album out from her sling bag, Kaoru placed it in the middle of the table. Tearing my eyes away from her downcast face, I flipped the album open. Honestly, I was ready to put down the girl in terms of her appearance despite not knowing her, no matter how beautiful she was. Kaoru was captivating and beautiful in her own way, and she deserved to be assured of it…

"Rangiku told me these photos were taken back in their second year, before you and I entered college. Kenshin and Rangiku were in their second year, while Tomoe was the Kendo club manager, and she was in her third year…"

_Wow._

Kaoru's words were lost on my ears as I found myself staring at one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. She was the first and the only one to catch my attention upon laying my eyes on the picture, and there were a total of eight others in the picture.

She was the epitome of a traditional Japanese beauty, with a slender, willowy frame and porcelain translucent skin. Her enchanting smile, kept frozen in time by the camera, was a dignified upturn of those dainty cherry blossom-colored lips. Her eyes were large, but instead of being childishly rounded, they were more of long, ending at the sides with a very subtle lift. Even though she was smiling happily, those eyes had an unspoken melancholy swimming in their depths, which I believed, was what sucked countless of men down her vortex of attraction.

I found myself flipping the photo album immediately. The next picture was a candid shot taken of her reading a book in a corner by the side of the training hall. She was one of the rare beauties who could look good even if she was not smiling.

"See what I meant?" My head snapped up at hearing Kaoru's voice. "That's her, Tomoe."

Guilt wracked me for having been caught admiring how beautiful Tomoe was; I was Kaoru's best friend, and I was supposed to reassure her.

"Kaoru, I mean-"

My friend smiled sadly with a wave of her hand. "Nah, Megumi. That was the right reaction for everyone. I mean, we would be doing her a memory injustice if we insisted she was ugly or whatsoever. I heard from Rangiku she was voted online the most beautiful girl on campus and won the Miss Varsity pageant for three years in a row. Not surprising, eh?"

"Three years in a row? What about her fourth year?"

"She died in her fourth year, sometime in late March, when the white plum blossoms were in bloom."

Oh dear. The gods must have been jealous of her extraordinary beauty, to have taken her back to Heaven at such a young age.

"What happened to her?" I found myself feeling incredibly sorry for this beautiful girl whose life was so tragically short, even though she was the reason barring my best friend from the happiness she deserved.

"A hit-and-run accident…" Kaoru said softly, and I knew, she too, felt sad for Tomoe. "It happened so suddenly, no one could accept the news. Apparently she was at Kenshin's that fateful night, and he just casually mentioned that he felt a little hungry. From what I heard, she had told Kenshin to wait at home since he had a long day at training, and she would go to the convenience store nearby to buy something for him. So off she went, and she never came back again."

That was horrible…it must have been a terrible blow for Kenshin and Tomoe's family and friends, to lose someone so dear to them overnight.

"Kenshin still blames himself for it; he believes if he had insisted to go with her, the accident would not have happened. Or perhaps even if the accident still took place, he could and would have died in her place. Tomoe wouldn't have died then."

My heart felt incredibly heavy. I could practically feel the waves of sadness as I stared at Tomoe's smiling visage frozen in the picture. "It's not really his fault; he should know that."

"It was his girlfriend who died…no one would understand how he felt." Kaoru said. "It's already been two years since the accident, but I think the pain is still raw."

I nodded silently. Kaoru was indeed caught in a complicated situation; it made my problems with Sanosuke look petty and childish. I was averse to making our relationship official because I did not want to appear like one of those bimbos draping themselves over Sanosuke like a curtain. He could be childish, shallow at times, and perhaps I was just afraid of how people would view me. I hated to know that I might be classified as 'one of Sano's women' and I found it hard to believe that he was really true to me.

I drew a sip of the slightly sweet honey green tea. While I believe it was definitely possible for Kenshin to fall for Kaoru, she would have to wait by his side and help heal him bit by bit.

"I am not telling you to take advantage of his pain and conveniently fill the void Tomoe left behind, but if you truly care for him, you should stay by his side and allow time to heal those wounds slowly. Help him get over Tomoe's death, but you should know that she would never be forgotten."

Kaoru looked questioningly at me, but as cruel as I knew it would sound, I had to tell her the truth.

"Kaoru," I began, trying to evade her beautifully innocent gaze. "You should know if you took things too quickly, this would end up being a relationship with three parties in it. Tomoe is dead, but she died when they were very much in love. To expect him to forget clean about her is impossible, unless he is a heartless creep, and I don't think he is one."

Biting her lower lip, Kaoru nodded. "I know."

"If he never recovers from this hurt, you might end up being a replacement. We cannot let that happen, so you have to be strong for him and for yourself. Never evade topics involving Tomoe; rather, help him by talking about it. Trying to hide her memory would not help in the least. He has to move on, and I am sure he knows it, but the fact that she died indirectly because of him is holding him back in the emotional dilemma. You are the one who can help him out of it."

That was something that hadn't occurred to Kaoru; she had been clueless about how she should deal with the situation should the topic of Tomoe come into their conversations. Sometimes, it just took someone who was not in the picture to provide the best advice, and she knew she could count on Megumi.

Kaoru nodded again. "Thanks, Megumi. I wouldn't have known what to do if it wasn't for you."

I smiled reassuringly at her and wrapped my fingers around her hand. "You know, I will always be here with the advice if you need it."

"And you too, best friend. Don't reject Sanosuke…it hurts him to know you are unwilling to admit to your relationship."

Sanosuke felt hurt? My eyes widened in shock. It had never occurred to me that Sanosuke actually cared that much about how I felt. I never knew my feelings mattered that much to him. The thought of a sad Sanosuke made my heart feel as if someone was squeezing it.

"He told you that?"

"Well…while he didn't really spell it out, he was saying something like, 'I don't understand why she's deliberately keeping a distance…heck, I feel so stupid hankering for her attention but I can't help it…I really, really like her.'" Kaoru said, before adding with a laugh. "He didn't elaborate further…you know, male pride."

I shook my head and laughed. Sanosuke is a stupid idiot indeed. He had no clue, just how much I liked him too.

_

* * *

_

To be continued…

A/N: The next chapter would be "Twenty-five" and once again, new problems and issues would come into the lives of these two lovely ladies. I hope you enjoyed chapter one, and found it a refreshing change from the usual styles. Please drop a review!


	2. TwentyFive

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters.

A/N: I am really glad to know you guys enjoyed the first chapter of "Girl Talk" despite it being a total different approach from the usual love stories and fantasy stories. This new chapter will see greater exploration of the lives of these two girls, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

**Girl Talk**

_**Twenty-Five**_

**

* * *

**

(Kaoru's POV)

I practically yanked the door to the bubble tea café open. The potent mixture of frustration, anger and relief coursing through my veins fuelled the burst of strength; the chime behind the door shook violently as if in fear.

The cool air of the interior washed over me invitingly but did nothing to cool my head. Likewise, the deliciously sweet aroma of the freshly baked pastries did nothing for my horrible mood…it just made me want to gag.

Running my eyes across the occupants of the tables, I found her too easily.

There she was, sitting alone at our usual table in the corner, with a glass of honey green tea with pearls and mixed jelly. I could not see her face; it was shrouded by the canopy of midnight long hair.

Weaving quickly through the gaps between chairs and tables, I stood in front of her without sitting, staring down at her seemingly vulnerable form while the confusion, worry and anger I've been feeling over the past week swirled like a miasma in my head.

She did not move, but instead, kept her eyes downcast. It was too obvious Megumi was not going to speak until I push her for it, and that was exactly what I intended to do.

Pulling the chair out, I took my seat the table. Stealing a discreet glance at her face, I could only see her long fringe covering her eyes. Just what was wrong with her? She had practically disappeared on all of us for a week without any notice, leaving Sanosuke, Kenshin and I incredibly worried about her. Especially Sanosuke; that poor guy was almost going out of his mind with worry.

That was when she finally sent me a text message, telling me to meet her here.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What on earth are you trying to do?" I hissed, trying hard to mask the hostility in my voice by keeping the volume down.

She did not move, but I could see her shoulders shake ever so slightly. She did not reply.

A few seconds went by, and for the first time, I felt an awkward silence brewing in the atmosphere between the two of us. It was so weird, and awkward silences were my ultimate weaknesses.

"Megumi!"

This was not the way best friends were supposed to be.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I continued. "This is not funny, Megumi! We were all so worried for you! I thought you had a big fight with Sanosuke again, but no! He said there was no fight or whatsoever. And you guys fought and broke up all the time anyway. So what's wrong?"

She did not reply me.

"I know you guys have an on-off relationship, but why did you just…disappear? Hell, Sanosuke was calling me once every hour throughout the whole damned week-"

"I'm pregnant."

Pregnant? Megumi?

Her cool, clear voice was nowhere as loud as mine but the force of her words, albeit being spoken so simply, hit me like a rushing train.

Her words echoed in my mind like an evil mantra.

"_Pregnant."_

Oh dear. What was I supposed to say?

_Do you know what to say when your best friend declares she got pregnant out of wedlock?_

I couldn't think right for a moment; it was the last thing I was anticipating. My mind went blank, and I felt as if someone had just dipped me underwater. It was getting pretty hard to breathe, and unlike Megumi, I was never able to think clearly or too logically in times of crisis. I had to do something; she needed me.

_Think, Kaoru, think!_ I chided myself. _To think I scolded her so harshly the instant I saw her…I must be the worst friend on earth._

"When did you find out about it?" I asked softly.

"A week ago…I'm two months pregnant."

I nodded dumbly, unsure of what to say or do.

"What do you intend to do?"

"I'm keeping it." She replied, her eyes flashing with steely determination. "I'm definitely keeping it."

"Megumi, the father is…"

She nodded. "Sanosuke."

That came as no surprise; there was no way it could have been anyone else. Megumi may be flippant with her words when it comes to talking about men, but Sanosuke was the only one she would allow to touch her physically.

"Alright, but…" I said, rather confused by her handling of the situation. "Why aren't you telling him?"

"Would it make a difference?" Her voice was cold and void of emotions. She appeared strong and unbreakable, but I knew better. Megumi was nowhere as strong as she seemed; she could be so vulnerable and fragile at times.

She did not want anyone else to think of her as weak.

"What _can_ he do? What _will _he do?" She continued. "Kaoru, this baby is unwanted, and Sanosuke…he is commitment-phobic. This would only…repulse him."

Perhaps it was the pressure from her surroundings; Megumi was used to being told that she was strong and independent by those around her. Furthermore, she was an orphan brought up singlehandedly by her grandfather. But as her best friend, I knew better. She was in agony, but unlike many girls who sob their pain out, this girl hides her agony with layers and layers of false strength.

Sanosuke had to know about this; such situations were never meant to be shouldered by one person. They were in this together, and I knew Sanosuke would never, ever leave Megumi in the lurch.

"Stop putting on a strong front."

Her eyes widened in surprise, and more of the vulnerability was revealed. "I am not." She said stubbornly, but I could see her eyes watering.

"You can fool anyone but me." I continued firmly. "Stop trying to act as if you're alright. You and I both know very well, you're scared and you need help."

"I don't want to tell Sanosuke about this. I don't need his help."

That irked me; Megumi was always doing this to those who care about her when she was in trouble of some sort. Now she was making me even angrier, given how she made Sanosuke out to be. He was a childhood friend of mine, and I can bet all the money I have in my bank that he would never bail out on her.

"Sanosuke never liked to be tied down, and a baby…it is a life and a liability. I don't want him to feel obliged to be with me just because I'm pregnant."

I secretly reached for my cell phone in my bag, pressing the buttons quickly to compose a text message. I typed away, keeping my eyes on Megumi the entire time.

"**She's pregnant with your child. That's why she's avoiding you. She thinks you'll be repulsed by the idea of having a baby with her."**

I pressed the button for 'send' and quickly keyed in Sanosuke's cell phone number. I sent the message out.

"Megumi, stop it! Why are you always overestimating yourself and underestimating others? Is Sano such a jerk to you?"

"I never said he was," She said stubbornly. "I simply don't want to tie him down with a baby, especially when he'd feel obliged to take responsibility for this…this_ mistake_. He doesn't have to. He wouldn't like it anyway. I'll take care of my own problem."

"You're not tying him down with the baby. Sano genuinely likes being with you, and I'm sure you know that."

"I know he likes being with me," Megumi's lower lip trembled and a tear finally escaped her watery eyes to roll down her cheek. "But the Megumi Sanosuke likes to be with is the youthful, energetic, sarcastic and fun Megumi…not the pregnant, dependent one whom he has no other choice but to be responsible for."

"Hasn't it occurred to you that Sano wants to be with you? As in, baby or not, Sanosuke genuinely wants to be with you because it is you, Takani Megumi."

"I don't know about that…we've never really broached the topic, you know?" She said softly, tears falling free. I felt my eyes start to water as well; somehow I could feel her fear, and the helplessness.

"I know Sanosuke likes me…I could tell from how we spent the entire night having sex at his place two months ago-"

I silently noted how Megumi said "having sex", instead of "making love".

"Once, twice, thrice…or was it four, five times? …I lost count of the number of times. We obviously got caught up in the passion." She smiled self-mockingly. "I was so foolish…you'd think I'd know better, but when Sanosuke whispered to me that he had run out of condoms…I told him I didn't care, and it was alright to continue."

I nodded silently, feeling slightly awkward that Megumi was filling me in on the intimate details of the sexual relationship they shared, yet unable to stop listening.

"And do you know what Sanosuke said?" She continued softly, her eyes sad. Her voice faltered as emotions choked her. "He said, _'But…what if you got pregnant?'_ Can you see now, Kaoru? What he likes is the process of having sex with me; not the possible consequences of it. He obviously dreaded the possibility of a baby being conceived."

My cell phone vibrated with an incoming message; Sanosuke must have replied.

"You haven't even told Sanosuke about it. That's not fair to him. Who are you to judge his personality like this?"

"It is precisely because I know he would want to take responsibility, that I'm avoiding him. He dreads it inside, yet he'd want to do it…but that's not how I want things to be. I don't want to put him in such a predicament, simply because I am pregnant."

I looked at my best friend sadly and felt tears coursing down my cheeks as well. Two weeks ago, we had had another heart-to-heart talk at the very same place. But that was different; our roles were reversed. Compared to Megumi's pressing problem, my earlier issues and insecurities were now seemingly so trivial and stupid. But she had helped me out of it, and I was determined to do the same for her.

"He wouldn't want me anymore…" She sobbed.

Back then, I had come crying to her.

It was Tomoe's death anniversary.

Even though I knew of her existence long before Kenshin decided to tell me about her, it did not prepare me for the visit to her grave.

That was the very first time Kenshin ever brought me into the short-lived happiness and memories they shared. He had shown me pictures of her, a few short video clips posted on Facebook and so on…but nothing had prepared me for the raw emotion at the cemetery.

He wanted me to meet her, and had asked if I wanted to. I had said yes.

I had always thought myself to be gracious and open-hearted, but I was wrong. I was terribly wrong, and I ended up killing myself on the inside with the agonizing emotions.

But I wanted to be supportive of him.

I was the one collected the small, quaint pot of white plum blossoms fragrance from the traditional incense shop located in Kyoto where he had ordered her favorite fragrance to be custom-made three months in advance.

I was the one who assured him I was free and had the time to take the three hour bullet train ride all the way from Tokyo to Kyoto to help him pick the fragrance up.

But I was also the one who felt incredibly jealous and upset as I carefully held the box containing _her_ favorite fragrance on the long journey back.

I was the one who helped him rearrange all her photos into one album, the album which he kept locked at the back of his bedside drawer.

I was the one who had insisted on meeting Tomoe by going with him to visit her grave.

I was also the one who prepared the traditional Japanese necessities for such visits, such as the incense sticks and the bucket of fresh water with sprays of flowers in it.

I knew she had loved white plum blossoms, but somehow, a small part of me rebelled against my so-called graciousness. I slipped a few other brightly colored flowers in; you know, just something bright and symbolic of myself. I just wanted to add in something that was not all Tomoe…something that was not all so white, perfect, untainted and pristine.

Maybe somehow, I was a very petty girl at heart. I wanted her to know Kamiya Kaoru existed, and I was in Kenshin's life too.

We had been holding hands as we exited his car, but upon reaching the gates of the cemetery, I noticed how he had let go of my hand. He had quietly walked ahead, and the pain radiating through his violet eyes did not go unnoticed. His jaw had tightened visibly, and he did not even say a word to me.

It was as if he was afraid Tomoe might see us holding hands and feel upset that he had a new girl in his life. He most probably did not want her to be sad, lonely or jealous that I was now trying to vie for his love. He was still grieving; he was still sad over the cruel fact that he lost the beautiful girl he loved so much.

The excruciatingly painful three-party relationship predicted by Megumi had somehow materialized.

Yukishiro Tomoe was physically dead.

Himura Kenshin was emotionally dead.

And I, Kamiya Kaoru, was dying on the inside.

Even if he had been holding my hand, Tomoe wouldn't feel sad. If she had understood Kenshin really well when she was alive, she would know there was no need for jealousy. She had never really left his mind and his heart still belonged to her. Or at least, a fairly large part of it.

It was so painful. It hurt so badly, but I could not cry or scream or run away.

The early spring winds had been mercilessly cold. It was as if I was not pathetic enough.

I had to stand behind him and watch the man I loved silently gaze upon the photo of his lost love. I had to pretend to be strong; I had to pretend I was happy to meet her.

The winds had still been mercilessly cold. The newly grown grass beneath my feet had been wet and oddly melancholic. It was a symbol of life, but at the same time, so muted and pathetic because of the heaviness of death all around.

I also had to pretend I did not notice how he traced his thumb over her photo and then discreetly draw the back of his hand over his presumably tearing eyes. I had heard him whisper her name.

_Tomoe…_

He was sad that she had to stay in her eternal slumber alone in that dreary cemetery, surrounded by nothing but sorrow and loneliness.

The whisper of her beautiful name had floated along the spring winds with the hint of white plum blossoms, coloring her memory an elegant white.

It had sounded so melancholic, and it had made me doubt my position.

_Should I even be here?_ That thought had run through my mind countless of times.

I had felt like nothing but an intruder, a voyeur.

It was only until I reached home when I broke down completely. The walls collapsed with the ferociousness of the raging dam behind them, and I simply curled up on the couch, sobbing my heart out.

Funny how I had been smiling a few minutes ago before I alighted his car. Have you ever experienced smiling when you didn't mean it? It was painful…so painful.

It was so tiring to pretend I was fine.

I was in no way as gracious as I tried to portray myself to be, and somehow in caring for Kenshin's feelings, I had completely neglected my own.

I had broken myself on the inside, but the man I loved could not heal my heart. He did not even know I had been broken, not because he was inattentive as a boyfriend, friend and lover, but rather because he had been equally broken…if not, more.

Megumi saved me. She helped me piece bits of myself back together, and reaffirmed my identity. I was Kamiya Kaoru. I was no saint, and I had no need to act like one.

I had tried to be one and had failed miserably.

But Megumi taught me how there was no need for me to try to portray myself as something I wasn't. Jealousy was natural, and pain was inevitable.

I did not really feel better, and most of her words fell on deaf ears. All I remembered was how I kept crying, and she held my hand throughout, while flashing the other curious customers at the café angry looks.

She went to tell Kenshin off for this. She told him not to overestimate me, and that I was in no way as strong as I appeared to be. She blamed him for not having considered my position and feelings.

He was so apologetic, and I would never forget the way he told me that while Tomoe was an unforgettable part of his past. To extract her from his life would kill him too; that was how integral she had been.

But he also told me, I was his present, and there was no one else he would have for his future.

"_I want you, Kaoru. I want you and no one but you."_

We cried together, and there was the renewed resolve to live life together as one.

We emerged stronger than ever before.

That was a best friend for you. Everyone else around you would tell you admiringly how strong you are, but she was the only one on earth who would tell you to drop the strong façade. According to Megumi, it was stronger to drop the façade than to maintain it.

It was now my turn to tell her that.

I took my cell phone out and opened the message that came in some time back. Sure enough, it was from Sanosuke.

"**Tell her I want her. I want her and our baby, and no one else but the two of them. I will do my best to be a good husband and father to them. Make sure she waits for me…I will be there in 15 minutes."**

I placed the cell phone on the table and pushed it towards Megumi.

She read the words through the film of tears clouding her eyes, and looked up at me.

I smiled through my tears at her.

She returned the smile.

_**

* * *

**_

To be continued…

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this intensely emotional chapter, and had fun reading the feelings and thoughts of the two lovely ladies. Please review! Don't disappoint me!


	3. Thirty

Standard disclaimers apply.

A/N: I apologize for the delay in my updates; I've been caught up with too much school work and my part-time job. Anyway, here's the final chapter to the Girl Talk trilogy which all of us have been waiting for. Enjoy reading!

**Girl Talk**

_**Thirty**_

**(Megumi's POV)**

* * *

"Mommy, mommy, Saeko wants another tapioca pearl."

"Yes, yes." I replied, and the little hand tugging on my arm went still instantly. Placing the little silver spoon right at my daughter's lips, I fed her while ensuring she chewed properly. "There you go, chew it properly."

"Aww…you guys look so cute." Kaoru gushed, reaching out to stroke Saeko's soft shoulder-length hair gently. "Honestly, Saeko is getting prettier day by day. She really resembles you, except for the hair color and the eyes. Those two traits scream 'Sagara Sanosuke'."

"Thank goodness it's limited to those two." I mumbled in mock exasperation as Kaoru gave me a knowing smile. "You know, I caught him trying to impart her skills in smashing rocks with her bare fists. Once again, thank goodness Saeko had enough common sense in her to say, 'No No' before standing up and walking away. Sano was completely ignored."

Kaoru started laughing so hard; she had tears in her eyes by the time she calmed down.

"Poor Sano must have been devastated! That's like, something he is the most proud of, right?"

"Trust me, I know that too well."

Saeko, who had been chewing hard while playing with her teddy bear, looked up at Kaoru with her clear brown eyes. "That's Daddy's name, Aunt Kaoru!"

"Why, yes! Saeko is such a clever little girl. Can you write Daddy's name in hiragana?" Kaoru asked brightly, pulling out a notepad and a ballpoint pen from her bag. "Why don't you try writing it here?"

Watching my best friend interact so well with my daughter brought a smile to my face; I could never have coped with pregnancy and motherhood without Kaoru. I cannot deny the fact that my husband Sanosuke did his best and more during these five years of marriage, but still, he was a guy. Some things were better left to the women, and Kaoru had been a great help throughout the entire period.

Not only did she make it a point to accompany me to my antenatal classes, she helped me in every way imaginable after Saeko was born. There were times when I was practically going out of my mind with the stress of pursuing further studies and juggling motherhood at the same time, with the only outlet of relief being taking my immense frustration and paranoia out on Sanosuke. I was on the brink of suffering from post-natal depression, worrying about practically everything under the sun, but Kaoru pulled me back from my mental suicide.

Shortly after Saeko came into our lives, my maternal instincts grew stronger day by day, but at the same time, the more I loved her, the more I feared losing her. I would check on her every fifteen minutes as she slept soundly in her little crib, as if afraid my tiny little doll would cease breathing. I'd insist on doing everything by myself, and somehow, I found myself distrustful of Sanosuke's ability to take care of our child.

There was a particularly bad incident; I had been preparing a simple meal of yakisoba in the kitchen when Saeko started wailing. Sanosuke had volunteered to check on her but before he could do anything, I had involuntarily shouted 'No! I'll do it!" I practically sprinted to her crib, tended to her as Sanosuke looked on helplessly by the side, unable to do anything else.

I only recalled the yakisoba when Saeko was placed safely back into her crib. Running back to the kitchen, I could not deal with the sight of the slightly charred noodles sticking to the base of the frying pan. The smell of charred food was making me nauseous. Why couldn't I handle something so trivial? I broke down there and then, crying incoherently about what a complete failure I was.

I must have scared Sanosuke out of his wits with my sudden emotional breakdown.

Sanosuke had assured me countless of times, holding me tight and telling me what a great job I've been doing as a wife and a mother. But Kaoru recognized my problem for what it was, and she came up with an idea to help me.

Despite being inexperienced as well, Kaoru took Saeko to stay over at her place for two days, and to cut a long story short, it helped me realize I still had a life of my own – one that revolves around me, Sanosuke, our family, friends and my job.

It was not supposed to only be about Saeko, Saeko, Saeko…whom I obsessed over day and night. I had to learn to manage my priorities, and I did.

I am proud to say I am back to being the old Megumi now, and Kaoru was the one who made all these possible. I cannot thank her enough.

"Megumi, how did Saeko even learn terms like 'diastolic pressure' and 'ventricle'?" Kaoru asked incredulously, staring at my daughter with wide-opened eyes.

I gave a sheepish smile. "Well…I tend to over-teach a little sometimes…"

"No way!" Kaoru exclaimed, before laughing grimly. "It sure isn't easy…you know, teaching kids and so on…I can't imagine that…"

"Too late for that, best friend!" I smiled, inclining my head in the direction of Kaoru's flat abdomen.

I didn't tell you guys this, did I?

Kaoru's almost two months pregnant with Kenshin's child, and with it being their very first child, both of them are excited beyond words. And it is not just the two of them; Sanosuke and I are extremely happy for them as well.

She made a face and grumbled, "Tell me about it. Kenshin's so excited; all our conversations are revolving solely around the B-topic now."

"B-topic?"

"B for Baby. It is 'baby' here, 'baby' there…" Kaoru stuck her tongue out childishly.

"You're going to be a mother in a matter of months, my dear. Stop acting like a big kid!" I teased, taking a sip of my bubble tea. "Are you trying to tell me you're jealous of your own baby?"

Kaoru laughed and placed her palms over her middle. "Not now at least, I think I still look hotter compared to it at this embryonic stage. I guess my husband still prefers me…for now."

"I should be standing up for Ken-san, but I totally agree." I said jokingly, smiling sympathetically at my friend. "You should have seen Sanosuke back then. You know, when he's at home, he would turn down gym, pub, 'guy talk' invitations to go out from his friends. Instead, he would simply drag a chair over to where Saeko's crib was and sit there, watch her sleep or just coo and talk to her."

"Awwww…that's so sweet!" Kaoru gushed, her sparkling eyes softening with emotions.

I smiled in return. "He refers to her as his 'little love'. Oh well, that's my little rival-in-love."

**

* * *

(Kaoru's POV)**

I couldn't help the smile that graced my face when Megumi talked about her blissful family life.

Happiness is truly contagious, isn't it? I love seeing my best friend happy.

But speaking of "rival-in-love", my thoughts involuntarily drifted over to Tomoe. I had come to terms with the fact that Tomoe will always live in Kenshin's heart as long as she was alive, living there as a beautiful, pristine memory.

He proved it to me, and dispelled all the earlier suspicions and uneasiness I felt over Tomoe's memory. It was what he did on our wedding day that made me realize I was his present, and will always be his future.

I remember that day very clearly; Sanosuke was driving with Megumi in the passenger seat, and the car passed by the cemetery at which Tomoe was laid to rest. It was a beautiful spring day, but instead of white plum blossoms, it was the pink cherry blossoms in magnificent bloom…

I could already feel a tinge of melancholy eat at the recesses of my heart, despite it overflowing with joy at the prospect of getting married to the man of my dreams, cheesy as it sounds.

I recall closing my eyes, fervently hoping for the car to go faster so that I did not have to deal with the knowledge of the existence of another girl sharing my husband's heart. I did not wish to see Kenshin's facial expression; the one he wore every time he was reminded of Tomoe.

It was then when the car came to an abrupt halt at the gates of the cemetery. My eyes flew open in surprise, looking at Sanosuke questioningly in the rearview mirror. He simply shrugged with a small smile, before Kenshin exited the car, walked over to the side I was on and opened the car door.

"Megumi, what's going on?" I asked.

She simply smiled.

Kenshin extended his hand silently with an encouraging smile on his face.

Confused, I placed my hand in his, wondering what it was that he intended to do. Couldn't he tell I was dying to get out of this place?

Gathering the train of my wedding gown with my left hand, I looked at Kenshin questioningly while he walked ahead in the direction of Tomoe's grave while holding on to my right hand tightly.

He did not let go of my hand, even when Tomoe's grave came into sight.

Trying hard to keep up with him in my heels and heavy gown, I felt an uncomfortable growing lump in my throat. I felt uneasy to say the least, and was tempted to simply pull of hand out of his grip and go back to where Sanosuke was waiting.

It was not long before we reached Tomoe's grave, and as we stood in our tuxedo and wedding gown respectively in front of the gravestone with her smiling visage in the photo, I practically felt nauseous with the anxiety. What was Kenshin trying to do? I thought he knew this would hurt me…

"Tomoe." Kenshin said, holding our entwined hands up. His voice was loud, clear and unwavering, unlike how it used to be whenever we visited Tomoe's grave. "I want you to meet someone. This is the love of my life…my beloved wife, Himura Kaoru. We're getting married today."

"Kenshin…" I whispered, reading his face for signs of hesitation or agony. Instead, all I found was a form of happiness that was not written on the face. It was genuine joy and sincerity radiating off him in the form of a beaming face.

"Tomoe, you were once the girl I loved the most. I cannot and will not ever deny that. The memories you left me with during the times we spent together will always be with me, but the love you gave me has to be returned to you. For now I have my wife Kaoru, and I will love no others but her wholeheartedly. I thought all my subsequent springs will never be beautiful again when you left, but Kaoru made them beautiful again."

I did not know if it was Kenshin's words, relief or the raw emotions in the air, or how sorry I felt for Tomoe at that point, but I started tearing up. Kenshin's voice was still loud and determined, but no longer as clear as unshed tears clouded it.

The spring breeze whipped his hair away from his face, and I thought I caught sight of tears shining in his eyes.

"I know you're still wearing yours right now, but the couple rings we bought together…I am returning mine to you." He took a simple silver band with the words "Tomoe loves Kenshin" engraved on it out from his pocket. Squatting down, he dug a small, shallow hole in the ground and dropped the ring in before covering it up with the freshly dug earth.

"There…Thank you for all the memories, and thank you for your selfless love. You will always be my most special friend, Tomoe, and I look forward to the day we meet again."

That was when I was liberated from my own pettiness and jealousy, worry and uneasiness. I saw Kenshin's determination, and for the first time, I felt a solid connection between Tomoe and me. We were connected from the very beginning, but I was too frustrated and scared by it to recognize it for what it was. We were only too similar, because we both loved Himura Kenshin.

"No." I said, while Kenshin turned to face me, his violet eyes wide open with fear and worry. "You are not his most special friend…you're our most special friend."

It was only until later that night, when I realized it was Megumi who told Kenshin he had to prove his devotion to me once and for all. What he had done was entirely his own will and idea, but it was Megumi who told him I was nowhere as strong and self-assured as I appeared to be. She brought my insecurities to his attention, something which I had always been trying to hide from him.

How many girls on earth are lucky enough to have a best friend like that?

Not many, I daresay, and I am too damned proud to be one of the lucky ones.

"Thank you, Megumi." I said, and she must have been confused because that had no connection to the last sentence she said.

"Why are you thanking me?" She asked.

I smiled. "You know, for everything…thank you."

"I am getting the goose bumps!" Megumi said as she waved my words off with a perfectly manicured hand, but I caught the smile and emotions on her face. "You silly raccoon…"

"Why, you fox…" I looked at her incredulously, inwardly amused by her inability to deal with direct verbal declarations.

Megumi smiled and shook her head, before placing her hand over mine gently. "Thank you, Kaoru. For all you've done over all these years. It's now your turn to get the goose bumps."

I returned her smile of gratitude with my own.

The bubble tea café's interior decorations might have changed over years, but the warmth of friendship and trust still lingered among the aromas of freshly baked pastries as they always had. Thank goodness for friendship and girl talk.

Saeko's voice broke the silence.

"Mommy, Aunt Kaoru, why are both of you crying?"

With that, we laughed.

_

* * *

_

The End.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the ride. This was a highly emotional piece to write, and I am glad I chose to write this story in the very first place. Writing from the point of friendship is something new to me, but nonetheless, it was a refreshing change I personally enjoyed. Please don't forget to review this final installment to our story here!


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